The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-12-29

bear roamed at will. The lynx, the wolver-
ine and even the wolf prowled in security.
The Indian trenbled but little at the men
ton of the white man. There were no ears
to listen to the roar Of rivers or the wild
screams Of the owl by night. The north
winds swept down with maelstroms of cold
SHOWS which lay white and clean until tho
mild breath of the south converted them
into foaming torrents which fled out on the
broad Ontario. Only q block house or
primitive fort at the mouth Of the Oswego
river foretold a coming civilization.
The pioneers penetrated the region at last
and settled in the forest, some along
the beautiful Oswego river and some by the
Big and Little Salmon rivers. It was on
the banks of the latter that the Smith family
settled, father, mother and FIVE children.
There was q graceful bend in the Little
Salmon where the rude log hut vas located,
high on a hill. A great forest OF naples,
beech and hemlock enveloped the country
In all directions. A continuous grove Of
chestnut trees formed the riparian foliage.
The father and sons battled with the big
trees and left their proud forms every where
spraying on the ground. At night the en-
tire family piled the torch to rid the earth
of the debris and hasten the progress of a
square mile Of cleared ground for cultivation.
The first denuded acres were hastily ap-
~propriated to corn and potatoes, that the
family might not starve during the follow
ing winter. Another acre was as rapidly
fenced in for the use of his majesty, the hog.
but corn-meal, potatoes and pork would com
prise the daily bill Of fare for the next
several years.
= 4-osl Als- ~o1l@ l,A
in a humble cabin that Mary Smith, the cid
est child toiled by day and dreamed at night
of her lover, far away in Westchester Coun-
It is unnecessary to pause and tell the story
Of this family, how it was reduced to pow
erty by the theft Of old Tr nifty Church at
New York City Of all its inheri ance; how,
despairing of securing a fortune in the East
it had shouldered the axe of the pioneer and
emigrated "West." "
Mary had acquired a good education be-
fore she became a pioneer, and, had it not
been for her sweetly contented disposition,
would have felt bitterly the contrasted cir
cumstances of her new life. She was brave
and her dark gray eyes flashed sweetness
and courage on the neighborly pioneer
. young men, who came long distances occa-
sionally, for the purpose of seeing the flash.
She cared for none of these and bantered
them for leaving the axe to rust, the eel TO
escape the spear and the deer to fee to Sc
questered haunts. They, with bashful gal
lantry, assured her Of objects in life far
worthiero Of pursuit, beside which the moon
lost it's loneliness and the sun was eclipsed.
She was q beautiful forest maid. .
Poets have sung Of eyes that were blue,
hairs hat were golden, that, after all, hid
hearts that were like rubber balls which
pinches only to see return to rotundity.
Novelists have pictured superb forms and
faces that went hand in hand with indiges-
ton and billion sness. Sculptors have i'm
m~ortalized themselves by modelling exqui-
site and blooming maids whose organs of
digestion are ruined with CONNECTIONS and
creams. Mary Smith was somewhat like
your thoroughbred Kentucky horse-sound
In limb and wind. She was, as might be
presumed, perfect in physique and vital
functions, and the forest air painted for her
q cheek which the peach envied and a COM
plcxion which no enterprising Ayers, with
testimonials from Potters and PATHS, could
rival with artificial patents.
g Young men came and went away, but
Mary awaited her lover to whom she had
promised her band in marriage the follow
ing Christmas. When winter at last ap-
preached the corn was not plentiful in the
bin, the potatoes seemed meager for a farnl
~ Of six, and the porkers had to be reduced
In number to furnish q little ready capital
I The prospect was not inviting for q long
winter. Mary, with the perfect faith Of q
lover even, could not forget that there were
no means Of communication in those days
and that Sam Houston, far away In West
chester County, bad sent no word since his
departure. OF course he would not fail to be
on hand II it were possible. But could he
find his way up the Hudson and Mohawk
through the vast forests to her lonely home
Sometimes she covered her face with hel
hands to hide the picture OF his form buried
Ii the SHOWS in an unmarried grave, o.
floating down the river into which he had
s&,.rnhtod ~ uiuht Eha knayv ha Womb